AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER SUPPLEMENT NOVEMBER 1982 Amnesty Dorinternational Supplement
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amnesty NOVEMBER 1982 Volume XII Number 11 international newsletter Al Annual Report 1982 Call for worldwide action against political killings Thousands of people in countries It contains documented facts on all over the world were killed by executions in Iran—more than 2,600 order of their government or with during the year—and the unfair trials that preceded them, "disappearances" Sixty-two-year-old Ruth Rutsch and its complicity, according to infor- her husband, Friedrich, who were AI and pub- and torture in Chile, the continuing mation compiled by drive against all forms of dissent in arrested in February 1982, have been lished in its latest annual report. the Soviet Union, executions in South sentenced to three years and three Al opens the report with a Africa and other developments. Indian months' imprisonment for "treason- call for the world community to peasants in Bolivia, wall-poster writers able passing on of information" face up urgently to the use of in China, objectors to military service (Article 99 of the German Demo- such political killings by govern- in Western Europe, and thousands of cratic Republic's penal code) and ments and says these governments ordinary people all over the world "taking up illegal contacts" (Article are reflected in its 367 pages. The 219). Both articles proscribe sending must not be allowed to evade information out of the country which common denominator is the violation responsibility when they choose is not secret but is, in the words to obliterate suspected opponents. of their fundamental rights as human beings. of Article 99, to the "disadvantage Al says it is determined to campaign of the interests" of the GDR. A/ worldwide against such killing, which considers that these articles con- was often linked to another abuse it Attack on rights tradict the right to "seek, receive has spotlighted—the "disappearance" The report's preface points out that and impart information regardless of of people abducted or arrested by Al last year launched a publicity camp- frontiers" (Article 19 of the Inter- authorities. aign to expose the "disappearance" of national Covenant on Civil and The report contains countiy-by- political opponents at the hands of Political Rights, which has been country summaries of many other government forces. Both "disappear- ratified by the GDR); it has adopted abuses—including torture, the death ances" and unlawful killing by govern- Ruth and Friedrich Rutsch as prison- penalty and imprisonment of people ments, it says, "represent an outright ers of conscience. The information for their ideas or origins—and of the attack on values and rights which the "passed on" in their case appears to struggle to end them. world community has struggled to have been about their son Karl-Heinz establish". Rutsch, who has been in prison In El Salvador, mutilated bodies are since 1973 after attempting to leave found after soldiers or police arrest the GDR without permission. Ruth Beirut massacrepeople who are suspected of opposition Rutsch was sentenced on 24 May On 22 September 1982 Al appealed or who merely live in suspect areas. and her husband on 29 September. to the United Nations Secretary "In Guatemala, thousands of people General, Javier Perez de Cuellar, for described by government representatives Prisoner Releases and Cases a UN investigation to be set up into as 'subversives' and 'criminals' have The International Secretariat learned the massacre of hundreds of Palestin- been shot on the spot or seized and in September of the release of 65 ian and Lebanese civilians in the killed later," the report says. In Syria, prisoners under adoption or investiga- refugee camps of Chatila and Sabra security forces were reported in 1981 tion; it took up 252 cases. in West Beirut between 16 and 18 to have sealed off communities, dragg- September. ed people from their homes and shot It also called on the Israeli them. Also in this issue Government to act rapidly to clarify Reports of killings by troops or Releases, page 2 the circumstances of the killings and police have continued to come from Jamaica hangings, page 7 to cooperate in any international other countries, including India, the Chile torture charge, page 8 investigation. The Lebanese Govern- Philippines, Uganda, Bolivia and Supplement: 'Disappearances' ment was also asked to assist such Colombia. in Guinea an inquiry. See page 4 2 NOVEMBER 1982 Releases . Releases . Releases . ed from his job, had been unemployed Ethiopia South Korea for three weeks when arrested. The Supreme Court ruled in April The Ethiopian Government has annou- A total of 18 people adopted by Al as 1982 that the verdict against him was nced that it pardoned and released 716 prisoners of conscience are now known unfounded and he was freed a month prisoners on 11 September, the eighth to have been among the 35 political later, three months early. anniversary of the Ethiopian revolution. prisoners released in South Korea Al knows of only one other case in It has not yet been confirmed how many under the amnesty of 15 August (see which somebody adopted by it as a of those released were political prisoners. September Newsletter). prisoner of conscience has been released The released prisoners are reported They include Lee Woo-jae, prisoner as a result of a revoked conviction0 to include many long-term political of the month in August 1981, who was detainees held since 1974 in the cellars arrested in 1979 and was serving a five- of the former Menelik Palace. Among year sentence after his conviction in those known to have been freed are: the Korea Christian Academy case— Ketemu Yifru, former Minister of the defendants were said to have Labour camp for Commerce; Mamo Tadesse,former indoctrinat&I others with socialist Minister of Finance; and Germatchew ideas and to have attempted to organize I Vietnamese girl Tekle Hawariat. them with the aim of creating a socialist Also reported to have been freed state. are former ministers and senior officials Thirteen of the others freed were who had served in the Haile Selassie students who had served most of their administration and had been detained two- or three-year prison sentences at the time of the revolution in 1974. for participating in anti-government None of the members of the former demonstrations or distributing anti- royal family, who have been held with- government leafletsD out charge or trial since September 1974, are reported to have been released. The Ethiopian Government has Malaysia released a number of political prisoners Forty-seven detainees held without over the past eight years. In 1981, 549 trial under Malaysia's Internal Security prisoners were freed on the occasion of Act—some of them imprisoned since the seventh anniversary of the the late 1960s—were freed on 30 revolution. August in an amnesty announced on the Al has sent a message to the eve of the 25th anniversary of country's Head of State welcoming the Malaysia's independence. Le Thi Som Mai, aged 19, who is re- releasesD At least nine of those released had ported to be detained in a labour camp been adopted by Al as prisoners of in Viet Nam after trying to escape conscience, including: TanHock Hin, illegally from the country. She was Haiti a former politician held since July arrested in February 1982 with a group Sylvio Claude,prisoner of the month 1967; EngKwee Ba, detained since of young people. Others in the group in May 1981, and 21 others are report- July 1968; and Lim Ge Chow, arrested have been released but she continues to ed to have been pardoned and released in 1971. be held. She and her six brothers and following a decree by President Jean- Al has written to the Malaysian sisters are reported to have been the Claude Duvalier issued on 22 September authorities welcoming the releases0 targets of official harassment on a and proclaiming an amnesty for politic- number of occasions because of their al prisoners. parents' status under the pre-1975 Sylvio Claude was serving a six-year USSR South Vietnamese Government. Her sentence for "offences against the father, Tran Da Tu, was a well-known security of the state". Under the A Soviet German adopted by Al as a poet, broadcaster and journalist President's decree he and other prison- prisoner of conscience is reported to and her mother, Nha Ca, a distinguished ers were given a "complete and total" have been freed prematurely after his novelist. Both were arrested in April pardon which should have ensured court conviction had been revoked by 1976 during a government campaign their unconditional freedom—but the Supreme Court of the RSFSR. against "decadent" literature. Nha some are said to be currently under Genrikh Miller,who has been active Ca was freed in December 1976 but residence surveillée,a strict form of in the movement for Soviet citizens Tran Da Tu is still detained without surveillance, and to have to report of German origin to be allowed to charge or trial (his case is being investi- regularly to the authorities. emigrate, was sentenced in October gated byA.O.Le thi Som Mai is said Al has written to the Haitian author- 1981 to one year's imprisonment for to have been sent to camp Dong Phu I, ities welcoming the releases but express- "parasitism". Dong Xoai district, in Song Be province ing concern at the reported restrictions Under Soviet law people may be on 1 April 1982. Duties there are said and asking for the Presidential pardon charged with "parasitism" if they have to consist of clearing virgin land for to be Implemented fully and for the re- not been doing "socially useful labour" cult ivation.